What makes a 20A IEC rated for 20 amps?

After talking with a few Audio friends, we concur that probably the reason for the 20A IEC on the back of some component is to ensure that whatever power cord is plugged into it can handle 20 amps and consists of 10-12ga wire.
That is; all premade 20 amp power cords that I know of do come with substantial internal wiring.

Of course anyone can put a 20A connector on any cable regardless if it has 10-12 ga wire inside. Then, there are the 20/15A adapters we use, who knows what type of gauge is used with them.

ozzy

My new Inakustik AC-3500P power conditioner that is rated at 15A comes equipped with an IEC inlet rated at 20A. According to the dealer, that inlet is better at supporting cleaner power surges than an IEC inlet rated at 15A. 

celander,

I just read some info on your new power conditioner, very interesting.
Thanks for that information.

ozzy

@ozzy

Here is some info about the unit the manufacturer provided in response to my inquiries.

The unit does not include electronic processing of the power; that is, no isolation transformers (like Furman, CPT and others), no power wave-shaping (like ExactPower) and no power regeneration (like PS Audio Power Plants). The parallel electronic filters used are made by exact calculation using selected capacitors and inductors to catch the particular frequencies that affect the sound.

This differs from other designs that use series filters in line to the power cords and act like resistors to limit maximum current to the power cords and limit dynamics of the sound.

The unit has all outlets wired in parallel rather than in series (aka daisy-chained). All outlets have the same length of wiring configured in a star distribution.

The surge suppressor included in the unit is based on varistors. The 20A IEC inlet helps manage power surges, too.

The unit is designed to accept and manage all current the common wall outlet can provide. So the unit includes no internal fuses, relying on the home electrical mains fuses to trip if issues arise with the power mains.

This conditioner did something that no other conditioner has done: the apparent loudness of the audio system increased dramatically without any physical adjustment in volume control levels. This was noted after the unit was inserted into the system for 48 hours. Typical burn-in time is around 500 hours. The dealer said the unit lowers overall resistance of power to the system, which translates in improved clarity and dynamics, as well as perceived loudness.